Gary’s Blogs

“We ought to endeavor to live in peace with those who are of different opinions from us. ‘Tis a most unreasonable thing to take the liberty of contending with men because they cannot see with our eyes. If this were granted, we would be at war with the greatest part of the world. ‘Tis as … Continue reading →

A Lenten Prayer of a Busy Christian “Transcribed” by Pastor Gary A. Chorpenning What do you want me to do, Lord? Isn’t that what I’m supposed to ask you in this season of Lent? I don’t mean to be rude to you, God, but I have to confess that my life is already really busy. … Continue reading →

Forgiveness is the God-created, God-empowered process by which we are healed from the bitterness that infects our hearts when they get wounded and by which we are set free from the bondage that bitterness produces in us. Sometimes we can convince ourselves that we can somehow get back at a person who has hurt us … Continue reading →

God doe not command our feelings. He commands our choices. He commands acts of the will. Much of the time our emotions, our feelings are things that happen to us not things that we do. That’s why I say that God does not command our feelings. We human beings do not really have control of … Continue reading →

This sermon is the last of a series of sermons that I preached from the “I Am” passages in John’s gospel. It is the last in the series, but it is the first that I’m posting to my blog. I suppose the main reason I’m putting this one up first is that I want to … Continue reading →

In a theological context, a mystery is not a puzzle to be solved but rather a truth that exceeds the rational capacity of human beings. Certainly, the top of the list of mysteries in the Christian faith is the doctrine of the Trinity. The doctrine of a Triune God is crucial to the Christian faith; … Continue reading →

The Christian faith is not merely a set of ideas or concepts that adherents are meant to affirm intellectually; rather it is a living relationship with a living Being. If this series of sermons were to lead anyone to the notion that the Christian faith is simply about an intellectual decision to agree to a … Continue reading →

Hear us, O Lord, as we bring our prayers. We come to you with our needs and cares. Before your throne of grace and power, Transform the thorns into budding flowers. We wander far yet you’re ever near. There is no place where you cannot hear. Our long-ing hearts look to you alone. In … Continue reading →

The sermon linked to this post is the second sermon in a series on human sexuality and God. This sermon was preached at North Presbyterian Church, Elmira, NY on Sunday, January 15, 2012. Earlier in the service, we read responsively Isaiah 61:1-4. Then on this recording of the sermon, I read from Romans 1:18-32. The … Continue reading →

This sermon was preached at North Presbyterian Church on January 8, 2012 at morning worship. It’s part of a series I preached on the topic of “Sex and Loving God.” During that worship service we read Matthew 2:1-12 ( because this was the Sunday nearest to Epiphany, the church holy day when we celebrate the … Continue reading →